Bumper for vehicles



May 11 1926;'

F. D. HANSEN ET Al.

BUMPER FOR VEHI CLES Filed Dec. 31 l Patented May 1l, 1926.

` UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

FREDERICK D. HANSEN AND HERBERT TINKER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

ASSIGNORS TO FEDERAL PRESSED STEEL COMPANY, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

BUMPER FOR VEHICLES.v

Application led December 31, 1924. Serial No. 759,008.

Our invention relates to bumpers for vehicles and has for its general object to provide a bumper which is simple and sturdy in design, cheap to manufacture, eflicient and durable in use, and attractive in appearance.

One of the principal objects of lour in.

improving the action of the bumper and in the present instance, these results areaccomplished by providingthe spring: sup'- porting bar with a central projecting arched portion and placing it in contact with a rubber block mounted centrally on the impact bars.

Other and further objects and advantages of our improved bumper will become ap parent from the following description,

taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure lisa top planv view of a bumper embodying our invention, with one end of the upper impact bar broken away; Fig. 2 is a front elevationl of the same; Figs. 3 and 4-are transverse sections taken through the bumper 'as on the lines 3-3 and L1--4., respectively, of Fig. 2 ;v and Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

The impact section of our bumper'-comprises two parallel impact bars 6, which are alike in construction. Each bar 6is formed of .sheet metal and is channel-shaped in cross section, with the upper and lower horizontal iianges 7 of each bar'extendingthe length of 'the bar. Positioned between these two impact bars at points removed" Vfrom their ends are elongated spacing blocks 8 which are positioned between the adjacent' anges 7 of the bars and secured in place by means of bolts 9 which extend through both flanges of both of the Abars and apertures through the blocks 8. As shown in. Fig. 3, spacing collars or sleeves 10,` through whlch the bolts 9 project, are positioned between the flanges 7 of each'impact bar in order to prevent bending of. the flanges or, channel-shaped with the inner ends of thev horizontal flanges joined by curvedvertical flanges 12, it being noted-that the ends of i the spacing blocks 8 are also correspondinglycurved for the purpose of giving the bumper a neat and vartistic appearance.

lVhilethe spacing lblocks 8 are solid, they` also may beliollow, if desired.

The spacing vblocks at their rear sides are provided with oppositely extending vertical @projections 13 having rearwardly extending cars orilan'ges 14,/as best shownn Fig.

'iof

3. Lying iiat against with the rear sides of these projections are ythe ends 15 of the spring supporting bar or member 16,y this bar being formed to provide a forwardlyextending central arched portion 17, interlooped portions 19 and the flat ends 15 *which extend towards each other .and are parallelto the impact bars and the portions -mediate straightJ portions Y18, curved,H or

18. The ends 15 are connected to the blocks l l 11 by means of screws 20 (Fig.v 3) andthey are positioned between `the ears 14' to preventv rotation ofthe ends 15' about. the

screws 20.v f

At the center of the impact bars, we have provided a plate 22 tothe front face of which a trade-.mark or design may be applied. This plate A22 has a rearwardly. extending portion 23 positioned between the impact bars'and the plate 22 is held in place by meansxofa' screw 24 which projects through a plate 25 and at its 'forward end is screw threaded into anY opening in the portion 23 of the plate 22. The platev 25 rests a ainst the inner edges of the inner iangesy of the impact bars 6. The portions of the plate 25 above and below -these flanges are flanged rearwardly .and .provided wlth horizbntal parallel grooves.V The p1atej25 carries a lrubber 4block v27v having parallel The center of the 4rubber block 27 is provide ed with an opening 29 to accommodate the head 300i the screw 24. As shown inv Figs.

spring snpportin bar 16 contacts with'the rear side ofthe ru ber block 27 and the block ,horizontal ribs 28 iitting in the grooves. i'

165, v1 and 4, he center of the arch 17 oi` the is retained in position on the plate 25 by the arched. portion 17.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that the impact section of our bum er is exceptionally strong and rigid throug out its length while at the same time it is artistic in appearance. In front elevation, it givesthe impression of being formed of a .single integral piece of sheet metal with the front faces of the spacing blocks 8 and 11 pressed slightly inwardly. Bumpers I' formed of a single piece of sheet metal and 4been weakat the places between tlie'spaced having upper and lower flanges and spaced flangedl openings Ahave .been used heretofore, but the impact bars of such bumpers have openings as thev vertical connecting portions between the openings have not -been provided with. horizontal flanges and supporting arms have been connected at these points. In our impact section, there are four continuous horizontal flanges .extending kthe length of the section so that the weak points of' such previous impact sections are eliminated.

The central arched portion 17 of the spring supporting bar 16. presses firmly against the rubber block 27, but is not rigidly connected thereto and relative lateral movement between the two .is permitted.

.This cooperation between the arched portion l17 and rubber block 27 helps to eliminate rattle vand undue vibration. and at the same time strengthens the middle of the im-l pact section. The rubberrblock also increases the resiliency of the bumper and hence nnvproves its effectiveness. As the arched portion 17 is not connected to the rubber block, l

but only presses firmly against'it, when the impact bar strikes an'-, obstacle, particularlyv to one side-of the middle portion of the impact section, the entire spring supporting bar 16 absorbs theshock or the shock is distributed, `so to speak, through the bar 16, whereas if the central arched portion 17 were rigidly connected to the central portion of the iinv. pact section the half of the spring supporting bar on the side of the bumper receiving the blow would -have to absorb most of the vshock and the latter would not be so well distributed. Therefore by forming the spring supporting bar 16 with the looped end ortions'secured to the impact section and t e central arched portion engagin (but not secured to) the rubber block v27 t e efl ficienrI of the bumperA is very much improve 'We claiin:A i L ,The combination of two channel-sha ed impact bars arranged parallel to each ot er v and spaced apart, elongated spacing blocks between the bars and having flat front faces, and springsupport-ing arms connected' to said blocks. 2. In a vehicle bumper,

of two channel-shaped impact bars arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart, elongated spacing blocks between the bars at points removed from the ends of the bars and havin flat front faces and vertical curved ens, spring -supporting arms connected to said blocks, and blocks positioned vbetween and connected to the ends of said impact bars and having their inner ends curved vertically.

3. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of two channel-shaped impactbars arranged parallel -to each other and spaced apart,

spacing blocks between said bars and having spaced rearwardly extending flanges on their rear sides, spring supporting arms having fiat ends arranged parallel to said bars and positioned between said flanges on the spacing blocks, and means for securing said flat ends lto said spacing blocks.

4.'In a vehicle bumper, the combination of two channel-shaped impact bars arranged.

parallel to each other and spaced apart, elongated blocks between the bars and having flat front faces and flat rear surfaces, spring supporting arms having flat forward ends engaging against said rear flat surfaces, and screws projecting through said flat forward ends of said arms and screwed into threaded openings in said' spacing. blocks.

5. In a vehicle` bumper, the combination.

.of two channel-shaped impact bars arranged l -in said spacing blocks.`

- 6. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of an impact section, la springbar section behind tlie central portion of said impact section, 'and a rubber blockinterposed between the central portionsv of said impact section and said spring bar section.

7. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of a rigid impact section, a spring bar section behind the central portion of the impact section, a plate carried by said impactE section and having horizontal flanges, and a rubber block mounted on said plate' andbe-fv t tween said flanges, and engaged by andheld on said plate by said spring' bar in position section.

8. In a vehicle bumper, the combination" of `an. impact section, a spring Vbar section f behind the central port-ion `of said impact' -section and a rubber block carried by the central portion of said impact section and' l firmly pressed against by'saidjspring bar the combination section.

lao

i -of an impact sectiony bar comprising a central forwardly project- *jecting'towardseach other 'and secure 9. In a vehicle-bumper, the combination a spring supporting ingwportion, curved end portions and 'ends connected to said inrpact section and a rubetween said central ber block positione1 forwardly projecting portion andthe centrai portion of said impact section. t 10. Iii/a' vehicle) bumper, theccombination of an impact section, a spring=supporting bar comprising a central forwardly projecting' portion, curved lend portions and ends projecting towardseach other and connected to the impact jsection, alijd a rubber block engaged by said central forwardly projecting portion. f y

l1. In a vehicle bumper, Lthe combination of an impact sectioncomprising 4two parallel impact bars, aspring supportlng bar having a central forwardly extending portion, curved end portions and flat ends ro-` th'e impact section, a holder positioned be.- tween said impact bars, and arubber block carried by said hplder and retaiped in posi- .tion thereon by engagement with said forwardly barl z 12. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of. a rigid impact section comprising 'vertically spaced portions, a spring bar, a holder mounted centrally on said impact section, and a riibber block carried by said holder and engaged by said springbar.

13. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of an impact `section',- anda continuous spring supportingbar comprising a centra-l projecting port/ion of said spring forwardly projecting arched portipn, press-` ing against but unconnected to the center of the impact section, curved end portions and flat ends projecting towards eachother i and arranged parallel to the impact section and secured thereto.

14. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of an impact section comprising twolongitudinal impact portions, one abo`ve the other, a' supporting section comprising a spring bar, a holder mounted on one of said xsections, and a resilient block carried by said holder and engaging the other section. A

15. In a vvvehicle bumper, the'combination of an impact section comprising impact portions with a space therebetween,a supportcarried centrally ,by said impact section .and

its central portion bent forwardly and a reof said space and having' silient block carried centrally by one of said sections and engaged by the other section.

16. In a vehicle bumper, the combination of an impact section comprising two parallel impact 7portions,l one'above the other with a space therebetween, a supporting v'section comprising a spring bar positioned rearwardly' of said space and having a forwardly projecting portion, a holder mountved centrally on said impact portion and a resilient block carried by said holder and engaged by the forwardly projecting portion of said spring bar.

17.l In a vehicle` bumper, the -combination .fof an impact section, a supporting section, a holder on"4 one of sald sections, means for -securing sald holder inplace, and a resilient block carried by said'holder and having an opening,"therethrough to" accommodate said securing means.j

18. In a vehicle bumper; the combina-tion of an impact section comprising two impact portionslwith a space therebetween, a supportingsection, a holder ontherear` side of saidimpact sectionA and bridging! a device at the rfront Side of said impact sec: tin, a screw for securing said holder-.,.to

Said device, and i a resilient block, having one end of sai'd'sc'rew and adapted to be engaged by the` supporting section.

f Y 19. The combination of 'two channel- .l

shaped impact bars arranged parallel to said space,

as 'an' opening therethrough to accommodate each other and spaced apart, elongatedspac-r ing blocks between thel 'bars and having spaced rearwardly extending flanges, spring' supporting arms having, their outer ends positioned between said flanges and meaps .for Securing -the uter ends `oflthel supporting arms in place etweerr said fianges.

20. The combina-tion of two channelshaped imp-act 4bars arranged parallel, to each other and spaced apart, spacing blocks between t-he bars and havmgrearwardly extending flanges, supportingarms formed of fla-t spring metal and having portions cooperating with said flanges, and means for i securing said portions in'cooperating relation with said anges.

` FREDERICK -D.` HANSEN.'

HERBERT W. TINKER.

loo 

